Vania



No. 624,839. Patented May 9, I899. W. E. T. MERRILL & A. LEP-PEB.

WRAPPER FOR HAMS.

(Application filed Oct. 19. 1898.) (No Model.)

c n N o T u m H u w 0 N w o r o H p a c s n n z r a R o N a a r UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

XVILLIAM E. T.'MERRILL AND ADAM LEPPER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- VANIA, ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SAID LEP- PER AND FREDERICK WILLIAM STARKE, OF SAME PLACE.

WRAPPER FOR HAMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,839, dated May 9, 1899.

7 Application filed October 19, 1898. Serial No. 693,973. (No model.)

' l Ourinvention consists ofa wrapper for boiling a ham 'therein, more particularly a boneless ham, the same being formed of a piece of canvas or other suitable fabric adapted to envelop a ham, and means for tightly compressl ing the wrapper thereon and preventing opening thereof, whereby the ham is guarded against disintegration and its juices are retained within the wrapper, thus producing superior results in the flavor, compactness,

co and appearance of the ham.

Figure 1 represents a plan View of a hamboiling wrapper embodying our invention. Fig. 2 represents a plan View taken from the under side thereof. Fig. 3 represents a per- 2 5 spective view, partly in section, of a portion thereof on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of the wrapper in operative position. Figs. 5 and 6 represent sections of modifications. 3o Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a wrapper formed of the piece or mat B of canvas or other suitable fabric, and the hooks C on the back thereof,said hooks being arranged in 'rows at an angle to each other, forming somewhat of a quadrilateral figure within the ends of said piece 13, they being secured in the present case by the rivets D, which are 40 passed through the shanks of the hooks and the piece B and also through the strips E, which are secured to said piece and serve to reinforce the same at the place where it is subjected to considerable strain. y

It will be noticed that the rows of hooks are in parallel series or pairs and the members of one pair extend at a right angle to those of the other pair and the several rows ext-end at an angle to the sides of the mat, between the juices.

corners of the latter and the center thereof, said corners thus being free to be folded back along'the lines of the hooks toward the center of the mat, overlapping each other and adapted to be drawn closely together over a ham, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

The operation is as follows: The fabric B is laid out, as in Fig.1, and the ham to be boiled placed thereon, at or about the center thereof, it being noticed that the hooks O are on the under side of the mat. Two corners of the piece, which are free, are now brought up and folded over the ham, thus partly covering the latter and placing certain hooks on the upper side. A cord, such as F, is then laced on said hooks and drawn tightly. The other corners are also brought up and then lapped over the previous ones and the cord is tightly laced on the remaining hooks, (see Fig. 4,) thus bringing the sides of the piece closely together and compact-1y enveloping the ham, as with an integral incasement or sack, the joints of the latter being comparatively hermetically sealed,'the outer end of the cord being secured in any suitable manner to prevent loosening of the same. The inner end of said cord is formed with the loop G as convenient and reliable means for at tachment to the hook at the starting-point of the lacing operation. The ham is now boiled within the sack, while its juices are retained 8o therein, the effect ofwhich is evident.

In a ham whose bone has been removed the cavity that existstherein causes boiling of the same on the inside, the boiling on the outside being as usual. This tends to disintegrate the ham and causes the loss of juice. To avoid this, cords have been tightlywound around the same, the effect of which is the cutting or breaking of the outer surface of the ham and the consequent escape of the By the use of our wrapperthe ham is compressed, so that the bone-removed cavity is closed and the entire body is incased and. covered under pressure of the piece B, so that the rich and thick juices of the ham remain within the wrapper to the great advantage of the same. q 5 7 i While the wrapper is intended more particularly for hams, we may use it for tongue and other meat where it is desired to boil or cook the same in a jacket, incasement, or sack. y

In lieu of the hooks We may use studs or eyelets, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Having thus described our invention, What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A wrapper of the character named, consisting of a piece of fabric and devices within the ends thereof for engagement of a closing and tightening 1acing-cord, said devices being arranged in series at an angle to each other and each at an angle to the sides of the mat.

2. A Wrapper of the character named consisting of a mat of fabric and means on the back thereof within the ends thereof for engagement of a lacing-cord, the portions of the mat'outside of said means being free to form laps, said means being in series at an angle to each other and each at an angle to the sides of the mat.

3. Awrapperofthe characternamedformed of a mat and lacing devices on the back thereof between the corners and center thereofin series at an angle to each other and to the sides of the mat.

4. A wrapper of the character named formed of a mat, lacing devices on the back thereof between the free corners of the mat and the center thereof, and a cord witha loop adapted to be passed from one lacing device to the other over the folded-in corner.

WILLIAM E. T. MERRILL. ADAM LEPPER.

Vitnesses: I

JOHN A. WIEDERsHEIM', WM. 0. VVIEDERSHEIM. 

